Birthday gifts often say more about the giver than they do the receiver—especially in Portland, where handcrafted and homegrown is the norm. But let’s say that you don’t have time for pottery-wheel throwing just now. You can exercise your impeccable taste, or borrow ours.

A few notes: It’s never appropriate to pull something out of a grocery store. Ever. Not even from what seems like a well-curated gift aisle. Also, showing up to a birthday party empty-handed is anathema. And widely enjoyable—say, for an acquaintance or a friend’s child—should mean creative, not bland. 

For Your Friends

A good present weaves seamlessly into its recipient’s life. Ephemeral gifts (wine, candles) must be particularly memorable. Housewares and knitwear make an impression through endurance; your friend will conjure a warm thought of you with every clink of that glass. And cheeky books and puzzles are good for the brain.

PKL Knife, $300 at Acre Forge, acreforge.co / Wave Flutes Glass Set in Blue, $109 at the Yo Store, yoportland.com / Brooks Wine 2021 Old Vine Pommard Pinot Noir, $65 at Brooks Wine, brookswine.com / Fly: The Big Book of Basketball Fashion by Mitchell S. Jackson, $40 at Nationale, nationale.us / Tarot-Rama 500-Piece Sensual Puzzle, $34 at Peach Puzzles, peachpuzzles.com / Striped Wool Scarf in Dark Navy and Off White, $145 at Dehen, dehen1920.com / Matsunoya Handwoven Slippers, $54 at Kiriko, kirikomade.com / Pillow Platter, Carinated Serving Bowl, and Round-Rimmed Plate, $115–450 at Lilith Rockett, lilithrockett.com / Nata Concept Shop Pasta Candles, $20–24 each at Seven Sisters, sevensisterspdx.com 

For the Children

Pulling a coin, or a gift card, out from behind a child’s ear doesn’t cut it these days for your friends’ kids or kids’ friends. Stick to the basics, and gift something they'll want, need, wear, or read—especially if it’s blissfully sound-free.

Kidamento “Iris the Unicorn” Camcorder, $78 at Grasshopper Store, grasshopperstore.com / Magni Wooden Construction Set, $54.95 at SpielWerk Toys, spielwerktoys.com / My First Bananagrams, $17.99 at Red Castle Games, redcastlegames.com / Cotswold Blue CandyLab Car, $38 each at Grasshopper Store / French Factory Town Blocks by Ladislav Sutnar, $78 at Merci Milo, shopmercimilo.com / LaoLao’s Dumplings by Dane Liu & ShinYeon Moon, $18.99 at Green Bean Books, greenbeanbookspdx.com / LumiPets Bunny Night Light, $24.99 at MudPuddles Toys & Books, mudpuddlestoys.com / Wooden Dog Pull Toy, $42 at Merci Milo / Wooden Rabbit Quilt Puzzle by Lisa Congdon, $24.99 at lisacongdon.com / Kid Fanny Pack, $8 at Throwing Tiny Fits, throwingtinyfits.com